All-Star Pitchers battle for Warren Spahn Award
OKLAHOMA CITY (July 13, 2011) — At the halfway point of Major League Baseball season, five All-Star pitchers are battling neck and neck for the Warren Spahn Award, presented annually to the league’s best left-handed pitcher.
Three-time Spahn Award winner CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees is in first place, Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies is in second, Cliff Lee of the Phillies is in third, Gio Gonzales of the Oakland Athletics is in fourth and C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers is in fifth. Four of the top five contenders have never received the award.
The Spahn Award is named after Oklahoman and National Baseball Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, who holds the Major League Baseball record of 363 wins as a left-handed pitcher.
The award winner is determined based on a pitcher’s wins, strikeouts and earned run average at the end of the regular season. The award will be presented at the Warren Spahn Award Gala, hosted by Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Rotary Club and the Jim Thorpe Association in January 2012.
Past Spahn Award winners include: David Price (2010), CC Sabathia (2007–2009), Johan Santana (2004, 2006), Dontrelle Willis (2005), Andy Pettitte (2003), and Randy Johnson (1999–2002).
Current 2011 Warren Spahn Award Rankings
(Qualified Pitchers only. Rankings based on statistics compiled on July 11, 2011. Rankings subject to change.)
1. CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
2. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
3. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
4. Gio Gonzales, Oakland Athletics
5. C.J. Wilson, Texas Rangers
About Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn pitched for 21 years in the major leagues after serving his country with distinction in World War II. Spahn is considered as one of the most “enduring great” pitchers in Major League Baseball history. He won 21 games in 1947, when he was 26 years old and he won 23 games in 1963 when he was 42. Spahn had 20 or more wins in 13 seasons, including six in a row. He also had eight seasons of leading the majors in victories and nine seasons of leading the league in complete games. He pitched his first no-hitter at the age of 39 and his second no-hitter at the age of 40. Spahn was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 and Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1988. For more information, visit http://okcspahnawards.com/.